The Monday Fits: Episode 3

And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. – T.S. Elliot

One of my favorite days to celebrate is coming up, and you’re probably thinking Thanksgiving or New Years, but Veteran’s Day is just around the corner.(For all of you reading this on Monday, and you don’t know, it’s tomorrow, go thank a Veteran). The reason I love this holiday, because veterans give their lives for our safety and freedom, and never get thanked enough for their service partly due to the fact that many former soldiers don’t demand thanks or recognition. They demand you respect them as a soldier, for the uniform, and most of all, respect for their country.
Now, I am sure there are a few who like to be thanked every chance they get, and brag as much as possible, but the overall sense of military personnel, in my opinion, is humility and service. So of course, I was fit to be tied, about
the back and forth about Robert O’Neill and the many Navy SEALS who are betrayed by his actions. Now if you haven’t heard, Mr. O’Neill killed Osama Bin Laden by delivering the two fatal shots to the head. Mr. O’Neill’s official story is coming out in a Fox special, but other betrayed SEALS outted the soldier, before he had the opportunity, because they were upset that he was breaking the code of silence.

Now as a person whose never been anywhere near the danger of a battlefield or a covert mission, I would never question a veteran, because they give their life for this country and the mental wear and tear on their brain, especially a soldier from an elite, dangerous and covert group like the NAVY Seals. However, if they stop maintaining that role after they are finished serving, what is their
responsibility to this country?

When I think of words to describe the military, my first thoughts are duty, loyalty, and honor, they are all words that would say, “No, keep your mouth shut”. And that’s just it, he forgot the ethos of the military, and exchanged for the American ethos of “Me, Me, oh, and yeah, more Me.” I think it’s irrelevant to talk about the code, creed, ethos though, because he obviously doesn’t care and has taken full acceptance to the American ideals of self.

If the story had stopped there, I would have shrugged my shoulders, and thought “meh”…

I don’t doubt that the story brought closure to a person who lost a family member in 9/ 11. However, many of the details surrounding the incident have been revealed, and every
one knows Osama Bin Laden is dead. He didn’t have to bring his ownership of the final deed into the mix. Now do I think that this closure is more important than keeping their pact of silence, probably not. And when he was telling the story, he didn’t have to say he was the “shooter”! The reality is that it is not the real reason Mr. O’Neill was coming out and sharing details. And to think we’re supposed to buy that story is ridiculous.

In many of the stories that I have read, they state that Mr.O’Neill wanted to go ahead and tell his story, because he knew his name was going to be coming out as the shooter, so what? Let someone else tell it, let some one else break the code of silence, because your integrity is all YOU got.

If you look at his article in Esquire, at a time when he remained anonymous, the article talks about how he was struggling financially despite the great accomplishments he had achieved. In the article, his father, goes on to say, “He’s taken monumental risks, but he’s unable to reap any reward.” (Source)

Well, how about that? Feel sorry for the guy? Heck no. Osama Bin Laden is not the only extremely dangerous target that America has ever had. Mr. O’Neill is not the only soldier, and will definitely not be the last to feel slighted. His actions make it seem like his mission, his achievements are greater than everyone else’s. And that is why his fellow soldiers are upset and I get it.

But can you blame him? Yes. But I blame the American culture a little more. And I am not surprised by the news media’s coverage of the story, because drama, scandal, deceit, it sells. But a part of me wishes that we were strong enough to not care. That the honor and integrity of our military was more important than hearing his heroic story. But he is the hero, who risked his life, and killed Osama, can we not give him slack? I wish that was the case, I think the real truth is that most Americans would not keep their silence, because deep down we know we’re just as selfish. Let’s do better America, including me.

3 responses to “The Monday Fits: Episode 3”

Interesting article, if you want more perspective you should check out a book called The Command. In regards to him he wasn’t the first operator to speak about his experience. Actually his colleague wrote a book about what happened and tried to politicize the Navy SEALs. Basically he tried to say all SEALs hate the Commander in Chief. But it was the press who leaked his real name. Matt Bissonate, I may have spelled his last name wrong. Lately, it’s been the US Navy operators who have spilled the beans in comparison to their US Army counterparts. The term in the Special Operations business is “Silent Professional”. His teammate wrote No Easy Day and released it during the election campaign of 2012. He spoke with Esquire magazine prior to leaving the Navy, but waited until he was out of the service to publish it. The article was released in 2013. It seems as if neither one of them had any intention of honoring their NDA. The truth is UBL wasn’t a danger at the time of his death. Additionally, after the hoax that was September 11. SOCOM grew in size and optempo, soldiers like O’Neill were broken physically and maybe mentally who knows. And with this one shop military pension plan of 20 years gets you a check until the day you die. Or serve less than 20 years get nothing. It’s amazing that these men can sacrifice everything mind body family for a country who worships capitalism then the moment the service member trys to use capitalism to gain what the military took from him it’s a problem. Just another perspective for Jackie Monroe.

I think it is hard to understand how a soldier feels after giving so much for his country and receiving so little back, but it’s what a person signs up for, it’s seems more education ans transparency is needed when they sign up and throughout the service about the harsh realities of leaving service early.